Steppenwolf Associates Raise $23,000 At Unlocked Event

The Steppenwolf Associates, a group of highly motivated and passionate young professionals, kicked off the fall season hosting a theatrical evening, "Unlocked: From the Page to The Stage," on Saturday, October 27, 2018. The sold-out event sponsored by Ice Miller and Winston & Strawn LLP, was attended by 120 young professionals and raised more than $23,000 for Steppenwolf Education. Guests attending the event enjoyed food and beverages donated by Adobo Grill, BLVD, Candid Wines, CH Distillery, Hopewell Brewing Company and Vinci. To end the evening, guests attended a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time followed by an after party at Front Bar.

The Steppenwolf Associates is a collective of creative and compassionate individuals who raise awareness and funding for Steppenwolf's nationally recognized arts education program. At over 70 young professionals and growing, this group works to inspire Chicago teens to become lifelong theater lovers. They are united around a passion for performance, an appreciation for arts education and the inherent ability to cut loose while giving back.

Associates receive great benefits including exclusive membership nights at the theater, private post-show events with artists, mentorship opportunities with Chicago high school students, access to great networking and social events, discounted tickets and more. Admission to the Steppenwolf Associates occurs on a rolling basis. Find out more information about the Steppenwolf Associates at steppenwolf.org/associates.

Steppenwolf Education's unique approach combines play production with educational components to enhance arts education for young audiences, their teachers and families, as well as a Professional Leadership Program for early-career professionals. Every season Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) creates two full-scale professional productions specifically for teens. Working closely with the Chicago Public and metropolitan area schools and other community partners, Steppenwolf Education annually ensures access to the theater for more than 15,000 participants from Chicago's diverse communities. The initiative also includes post-show discussions with artists; classroom residencies led by Steppenwolf-trained teaching artists in almost 100 classrooms in public high schools; professional development workshops for educators; and the Young Adult Council, an innovative year-round after-school initiative that uniquely engages high school students in all areas of the theater's operations, as well as other teen and community-based programs.

SYA recently closed the hit production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Next up is We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as South West Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915 by Jackie Sibblies Drury, co-directed by Hallie Gordon and Gabrielle Randle. We Are Proud to Present a Presentation... is the last SYA of the 2018-2019 two-play season which asks, "When You Feel Lost, How Do You Find Your Way?" Public performances for We are Proud to Present a Presentation... will take place March 2 (3 & 7:30pm); March 9 (3 & 7:30pm); March 16 (3pm & 7:30pm) in the Upstairs Theatre. Performances during the week reserved for school groups only; Single tickets to public performances ($15-20) on sale now at 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier ensemble theater. Formed by a collective of actors in 1976, the ensemble represents a remarkable cross-section of actors, directors and playwrights. Thrilling and powerful productions from Balm in Gilead to August: Osage County-and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony Awards-have made the theater legendary. Steppenwolf produces hundreds of performances and events annually in its three spaces: the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat 1700 Theatre. Artistic programming includes a seven-play season; a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; Visiting Company engagements; and LookOut, a multi-genre performances series. Education initiatives include the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf for Young Adults, which engages 15,000 participants annually from Chicago's diverse communities; the esteemed School at Steppenwolf; and Professional Leadership Programs for arts administration training. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Anna D. Shapiro is the Artistic Director and David Schmitz is the Executive Director. Eric Lefkofsky is Chair of Steppenwolf's Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.